This invention relates to internal combustion engines and in particular to reducing fuel consumption of internal combustion engines by deactivating cylinders in the engine thus converting the engine to run on less cylinders than it was designed for by deactivating the valves and valve actuating means and substituting a check valve for the spark plug in the cylinders deactivated.
In most United States made internal combustion V-8 engines, the carburetor and intake manifold are constructed so that the engine is two V-4 engines interspaced with each other. In some engines, the firing order of the cylinders is 1-8-4-3-65-7-2. Cylinders 1-4-6-7 constitute a four cylinder engine and these cylinders are fed gasoline from one side of the carburetor. Cylinders 8-3-5-2 constitute another four-cylinder engine and these cylinders are fed gasoline from the other side of the carburetor. V-8 engines with other firing orders are arranged in a similar way. To convert the engine to run on less cylinders, the cylinders to be deactivated must be one of the sets that make up a four cylinder engine. This will be every other cylinder in the firing order of the engine. For example, to convert a V-8 engine with a firing order of 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 into a V-4 engine by deactivating cylinders, the cylinders that must be deactivated are cylinders 8-3-5-2 or cylinders 1-4-6-7.
Methods of reducing fuel consumption of internal combustion engines by deactivating cylinders are in the prior art. Typical of these are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,358; 3,945,367; 4,105,010; and 4,070,971.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,358 discloses a method of deactivating the cylinders of an internal combustion engine by replacing the pistons with hollow piston substitutes. This method requires a major disassembly of the engine to replace the pistons which is tantamount to a major overhaul.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,367 discloses another method of deactivating cylinders of an internal combustion engine by removing the spark plugs of the cylinders to deactivate it and connecting a conduit between the spark plug hole for each such cylinder in the carburetor air-cleaner. However, this method permits the free movement of air into and out of the cylinders, thereby requiring energy to be lost due to the pumping action of the pistons in each cylinder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,010 discloses an apparatus for reducing the fuel flow into certain cylinders of a multicylinder engine by using an additional, unthrottled intake valve to admit air to the cylinders, thereby creating a leaner fuel mixture under certain conditions. This method requires a sophisticated modification of the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,971 discloses deactivating cylinders of an internal combustion engine by disconnecting and removing pistons and adding counterweights on the crankshaft and fly-wheel. This method requires the disassembly of the entire engine which is tantamount to a major overhaul.
None of the disclosed references show or provide a simple and inexpensive method of deactivating cylinders in an internal combustion engine by substituting a check valve for the spark plug, and utilizing the pneumatic spring concept in reducing the loss of energy.